Bucketball game



R. E. MARTIN BUCKETBALL GAME May 29, 1956 5 Sheens-Shee*v l Filed July28, 1955 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS A May 29, 1956 R. E. MARTIN 2,747,875

BUCKETBALL GAME Filed July 28, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Rus lz .EL ./mdjliINVENTOR ATTORNEYS May 29, 1956 Filed July 28, 1955 R. E. MARTlN2,747,875 BUCKETBALL GAME 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 Apr I i Rus/z Elia/@271,INVENTOR ,f /7 g BY t :Et 3. 7'. ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent BUCKETBALL GAME Rush E. Martin, Oshkosh, Wis.Application July 28, 1955, Serial No. 524,945 Claims. (Cl. 273-105) Thisinvention relates to games, and more particularly to game apparatuswherein groups of receptacles or buckets are supported at various levelsin a casing or housing of box-like construction and provided with asubstantially high backboard.

Another object of the invention is to provide groups of receptacles orbuckets having open upper ends so that suitable balls may be tossed bythe players, into the receptacles or buckets from a position in front ofthe housing, the receptacles or buckets being supplied with numbers sothat the score of the game may be determined by adding the numbersappearing on the receptacles or buckets in which a player has tossed theballs.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a game of thischaracter wherein there is a premium on the skill and accuracy of aperson tossing the balls into the receptacles or buckets.

A further object of the invention is to support the receptacles orbuckets in the casing or housing in such a way that they may besimultaneously tilted forwardly dumping and depositing the ballscontained therein, onto the inclined bottom of the casing or housingfrom where the balls roll to the front end of a trough leading from thecasing or housing, where the balls are readily accessible for theplayers in playing the game.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter described and the novel features thereof defined in theappended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a game, constructed in accordancewith the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental longitudinal sectional view through the housingand receptacles or buckets mounted therein.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental enlarged vertical sectional view through thehousing and bars on which the receptacles or buckets are supported.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental vertical sectional view through the housing,illustrating the pivoted receptacle or bucket supporting bars as tiltedto discharge balls from the receptacles or buckets supported thereon.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view through one of the balls used in playing thegame.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the game comprises a housingindicated generally by the reference character 5, the housing being ofbox-like construction with a substantially wide rear wall 6, the top ofthe housing being open as better shown by Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Supporting legs 7 are provided at the corners of the housing 5, thelower ends of the supporting legs 7 extending substantial distancesbelow the bottom of the housing r'ce 5, where they provide supports forthe wheels 8 on which the housing is supported and on which the housingis rolled from one location to another.

Extending forwardly from the open front end of the housing 5, are Walls9 that taper inwardly toward the front end of the game, providing achute 10. Connected with the forward end of the chute 10, is a troughembodying connected sections 11, 12 and 13. The front end of the troughis closed by the wall 14 so that the balls, which are indicated by thereference character 15, and which play an important part in playing thegame, will be trapped in the trough at the forward end thereof in easyaccess to the players in playing the game.

The reference character 16 indicates supporting bars that are arrangedtransversely of the housing 5, each supporting bar being mounted on ahanger 17 each of which comprises a bar having right angled ends 18 theeX- tremities of which extend laterally at 19 providing shafts on whichthe hangers are supported, the shafts being disposed in bearings 20formed in the side walls of the housing, the bars 16 being successivelyin higher planes from the front end of the housing 5 to the rear endthereof, as better shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings.

These supporting bars 16 provide supports for the receptacles or buckets21 which are arranged in groups of three longitudinally of eachsupporting bar, the receptacles or buckets 21 having open tops so thataerial projectiles such as the balls indicated by the referencecharacter 15, may be tossed into the receptacles or buckets, and sinceeach receptacle or bucket is supplied with an indicia or number, thepoints of the game may be calculated by adding the numbers on thereceptacles or buckets in which the balls have been tossed and retainedtherein.

Connecting the supporting bars 16, is a flexible member 22, which in thepresent showing is in the form of a chain, so that the receptacles orbuckets operate in unison, when the operating mechanism to behereinafter more fully described, is operated.

Extending upwardly and rearwardly from the supporting bar 16 at the rearend of the housing, is an arm 23 to which the cable 24 is connected, thecable also operating under the pulley 25 supported within the pulleyhousing 26 that extends inwardly from one side wall of the housing at apoint a substantial distance below the arm 23, as shown by Fig. 3 in thedrawings.

The upper end of the cable 24 terminates at a point adjacent to theforward end of the trough so that the person playing the game may, bypulling the cable, cause the supporting bars to tilt and tip thereceptacles or buckets to the dotted line position as shown by Fig. 3 ofthe drawings, whereupon the balls contained in the buckets, will bedischarged onto the inclined floor of the housing, from where they willrun onto the inclined trough made up of the sections 11, 12 and 13.

In playing the game, the players take their turn in tossing balls intothe receptacles or buckets 21, and each player may be supplied withthree balls with each turn, after which the cable 24 is operated todischarge the balls which have been successfully tossed into thebuckets. The score is then recorded and the usual game is played in teninnings, that is, giving each player ten chances to toss three ballsinto the receptacles or cups.

The person with the largest score, of course wins the game.

In View of the foregoing detailed description and showing in thedrawings, it is believed that further detailed disclosure of theinvention is unnecessary for the playing of the game.

While the specific details of one embodiment of this invention have beenherein shown and described, the invention is not conned thereto aschanges and alterations may be made without departing from the spiritand scope thereof as dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus of the class described, comprising a box-likehousing having an inclined bottom, a trough inclined from the bottom andleading from said housing into which balls deposited in said housinggravitate to the front end of said game apparatus, a plurality ofpivoted supporting bars disposed transversely of said housing, numberedreceptacles having open upper ends, supported on said pivoted supportingbars, said receptacles adapted to receive and hold hails tossed intosaid receptacle in playing the game', and means for simultaneouslytilting said supporting bars and buckets forwardly, releasing said ballsfrom said receptacles into said housing and trough.

2. A game apparatus of the class described, comprising a box-likehousing having an inclined bottom and having an open top, a troughleading from said housing into 'which balls deposited into said housinggravitate to the front end of said gaine apparatus, a plurality ofpivoted supporting bars disposed transversely of said housing andarranged at varying levels, disposed within said housing, groups of openended receptacles secured to said bars into which the balls are tossedscoring points of the game, said groups of receptacles or buckets beingarranged in vertical spaced relation with respect to each other,connecting means between said bars, and means for tilting said barssimultaneously forwardly, dropping the balls from said receptacles ontothe iloor of said housing.

3. A game apparatus of the class described, comprising a box-likehousing having an open top, and having an inclined bottom, an inclinedtrough extending from the bottom into which balls deposited in thehousing pass to the front end of said game apparatus, a plurality ofpivoted supporting bars extending transversely of said housing andarranged in lateral spaced relation with respect to each other varyingdistances from the front end of said housing, a plurality of receptacleshaving open upper ends, mounted 4. on said supporting bars, saidreceptacles adapted to receive balls tossed into the housing, and meansfor tilting the receptacles simultaneously dropping the balls from saidreceptacles, onto the bottom of said housing.

4. A game apparatus comprising a box-like housing having an open top andan inclined bottom, an inclined trough communicating with said housing,a plurality of horizontal tiltable members extending transversely acrossthe housing in spaced relation with the bottom, a plurality of bucketshaving open upper ends into which balls are tossed, in piaying the game,mounted on said tiltable members, said buckets being arranged in rowsspaced apart and disposed at different levels within said housing, saidbuckets having indicia on the outer surfaces thereof, indicating pointsin the game scored, and means for simultaneously dumping the contents ofsaid buckets onto said floor.

5. A game apparatus comprising a housing having an open top, a pluralityof horizontal pivoted supporting bars mounted within said housing, eachsupporting bar having right angled ends providing bearings, mounted inbearing openings formed in the walls of said housing, buckets havingopen tops secured to said bars into which balls used in playing the gameare tossed, said bars being arranged successively higher from the frontof said housing to the rear thereof, and manually controlled means fortilting said bars and buckets, depositing the balls on the floor of saidhousing.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS469,948 Reed Mar. 1, 1892 1,043,308 Everson Nov. 5, 1912 1,262,314Downey Apr. 9, 1918 2,415,780 Wolf Feb. l1, 1947 2,617,653 Keller Nov.11, 1952

